


A Most Blessed Gift

by TheDiceGuy



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2020-02-28 09:25:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18753583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDiceGuy/pseuds/TheDiceGuy
Summary: Caleb is on the run from the Soltryce Academy when he is taken in by a very kind halfling woman and her husband. When it comes time, he imparts the greatest gift he can think of.





	A Most Blessed Gift

Caleb had been travelling for weeks, trying to remain hidden from Trent Ikithon and the Academy only stopping when he had no other choice. Despite his intelligence, he had somehow managed to miscalculate the amount of food he would need to make it out of the Empire. The local wildlife was most likely a factor in that, as sometimes a small creature would accidentally make its way into his Tiny Hut.   
Either by animal or poor maths, Caleb found himself on the outskirts of what he was confident is Felderwin starved and barely standing. His immediate emotions are a mix of hope and paranoia. He had finally reached a town, but he wasn't sure if there were any agents of the Academy inside the town or not. He feels Frumpkin, who is wrapped around his shoulders, let out a deep and very irritated rumble.

“Ja I know, but there could be a chance of a Soltryce member there.”

Another annoyed noise comes from the Bengal familiar, this time with the threat of claws scratching Caleb. He lets out a sigh and begins walking towards the town.

“Fine Frumpkin, but if I need to disguise myself you're in trouble.”  
“Mreoww.”

Cautiously walking into the town, he tried being inconspicuous and unnoticeable. A simple face among simple people. Not unique.  
He looked around for any potential mage, but only saw the normal Crownsguard patrols. He's sure he is safe enough for now.

 

It was a normal day for Veth. Her husband Yeza was busy operating the shop, and she was out doing the couple things she knew he needed. Well supposed to be doing anyway. She had noticed something shiny to add to one of her collections, and along the way she had noticed a strange man walking into town. A very dirty and obviously exhausted man.  
Against her better instincts she approaches him, and softly calls out, “Excuse me Sir? A-are you okay?”  
The filthy man nearly jumps out of his skin, and the cat around his neck exudes an aura of indifference.

‘Scheisse’, Caleb thinks to himself. He was just supposed to blend right in and not five minutes in someone noticed him. He really needs to practice it seems. The thought of just running crosses his mind, but he knows that would be too suspicious. So he turns around to see a plump little halfling woman, carrying a basket of..random things from what he can tell.  
“Oh uh..Ja. I'm fine.”  
“Hm..you're lying. Come here, you need a bath,” The halfling woman grabs his hand, or tries to before he reflexively pulls it away.   
“Oh you don't like to be touched? Sorry I didn't know. That's okay,” the woman smiles at him.   
“I'm sorry I don't mean to be rude. But you're a stranger and-”  
“My name is Veth, Veth Brenatto. There now I'm not a stranger. What's your name?”

Caleb is surprised at how forward this unimposing woman is, but he knows he can't trust her. There's still a chance that she could be working with The Academy.  
“Phillip Mann,” he reaches up and scritches Frumpkin’s chin which causes a very loud purring, “and this is King.”  
“Well hello Phillip and King. Since we're not strangers anymore, would you like a place to stay? My husband and I love having company over.”  
“That sounds lovely, but I don't want to impose Mrs Brenatto.”  
“It's not imposing if I invited you silly, come on.”  
She starts walking down the road, and waits at the end of it for him to follow.   
“What do you think Frumpkin?”  
“Mreow.”  
“Mhm. I like her too.”

They follow behind her, still looking around for the tell tale robes of a Soltryce Mage. They spot none as Veth steps up to a shop of some sort and pulls put a key ring consisting of what he would guess to be about fifty different keys.   
“I hope you don't mind that we're stopping here first, I have some deliveries to drop of to my husband first.”  
“Nein it is fine. I'm guessing you're doing well based off all those keys?”  
“Oh these?” she says as she jingles them, “I just like collecting them, I only use two of them.” She laughs and starts flipping through the keys on the ring.   
“Oh. Well that's neat.”  
“Yeah, plus who knows if they'd ever be useful. If I need to get in somewhere I know how to do it.”  
“Oh you do? Are you a locksmith?”  
“Heavens no, just a woman who likes collecting locks.”  
Caleb arches his eyebrow, “I thought you collected keys?”  
“I do.”  
“Then why the locks?”  
“I collect a lot of things, if it's shiny or weird I collect it.”  
“Fascinating.”  
She finally finds the right key, he presumes as she sticks it into the keyhole. “Well you're the second person to say that, the first being my husband.”

She swings the door open and sets her basket down on the floor and walks over to the counter where a little bell sits. She taps it many many times and it dings many many times. The two wait a few minutes in the dinging room, before another voice calls out.  
“Veth? That you honey?”  
“Well who else would know to ring the bell so many times?”  
A small, small even by halfling standards, comes out of the back room with a rinky dink pair of glasses in their hands along with a rag.  
“That is absolutely true ba-” he stops mid sentence as he sees Caleb, “Oh hello!”  
“Hello.”  
“I'm guessing you're one of Veth’s newest collectibles?”  
Caleb scratches the back of his head, “Ja I suppose I am.”  
Veth goes up to the halfling man, which Caleb guesses is her husband, and plants a kiss on his sideburn covered cheek.  
“He's very filthy and I promised him a bath.”  
“Well he is pretty filthy. Did you promise him a meal too?”   
She smacks her head, “Well shit I didn't,” then she turns to him, “you hungry Phillip and King?”  
“Nein I am-” almost as if to just contradict him, his stomach growls very loudly, causing the halfling man to laugh.  
“I s’pose thats a yes. Well, are you Phillip or King?”  
“Phillip. King is my cat,” Frumpkin’s ears perk up at his fake name.  
“Well nice to meet you Phillip,” the halfling man walks up to him holding out a hand almost as filthy as his, “My name is Yeza Brenatto and this is my shop.”  
Caleb reaches out and takes his small hand and he takes it with a surprisingly tight grip.   
“Well I've got to finish my potions and such, it was nice to meet you! And you too King!” He scratches the Bengal’s head and then turns to Veth, “I'll see you tonight love, I'll help you set up the guest room when I finish here alright?”   
“Sounds good babe, be careful with the acids-”  
“I will I will, you know I've always got the neutralizing agent on hand.”   
“Good, because if you get burned I'm gonna kick you right in your ass.”   
He smiles and kisses her, “Love you too Veth.”  
“Love you right back Yeza.”

Caleb and Veth leave the store in silence, and walk about twenty feet to what he can only assume is the Brenatto household.  
“So this is where the second key is used Ja?”  
“Yep,” she's flipping through the key ring again, “gods you'd think I'd have which key it is memorized by now..”   
“I imagine it's because you have all those lovely to distract you.”  
She laughs and holds up a simple Brass key, “Ah yes that must be it!”

It slides into the lock and the door creaks open revealing a very comfortable looking home. The furniture is simple but well made, everything is relatively clean (cleaner than almost everywhere Caleb has had to stay), and there is a pleasant scent in the air he can't quite place.  
It must have shown on his face, because Veth speaks up, “It's Lavender. It helps us calm down if we have a rough day, or we just want to smell a nice smell.”  
Lavender of course. A bittersweet smell for Caleb. Again it must have shown on his face because Veth speaks up, “Oh you don't like it do you? Here I can find some potpourri or-”  
“Nein nein, it's a lovely smell no need to worry about me.”  
“Well then I'll put out some potpourri for me then, Lavender can always be put on at some other time.”  
“No really it's fine Mrs. Brenatto-” Caleb is interrupted with a shushing noise coming from Veth.  
“It's Veth dear, and obviously you don't like the smell for one reason or another so I'm gonna change it.”  
“I..well Danke..”  
“I'm assuming that means thank you,” she quickly navigates the kitchen pulling out a brown sack of what Caleb guesses is the Potpourri and has it in the small scent thrower before he can count to Drei, “it's no trouble dear. Now, our bath is upstairs, first door on the left. I'll start the water for you.”  
Normally Caleb wouldn't trust how kind she is being, but...there's something inexplicable about it. As if in another world they would have been close friends. He doesn't feel an malice from this woman, or her husband.

“Ja it does, and danke again. You are...extremely kind.”  
“Well...I grew up not having kindness shown to me, so I try my hardest to be kind to all.” A sad smile places itself on her face as she grabs the pot to boil the bath water in.   
“Well whoever would be so unkind to you sound like real assholes.”  
She laughs and nearly drops the pot, “Hell yeah they were but, hey. Kids are kids and sometimes they're mean.”   
She sniffles and opens the door, “Anyways, I'll be right back. Grab a snack or something while you wait, you look famished dear.”

Caleb sits in the bath, letting the water soak up the grime and filth from his travels. He got real lucky this time. He knows that if he stays, this happy couple will surely die if the Academy finds him. But he...he already feels attached to these people. He can't just leave.   
“Sie stecken ganz schön in der Klemme.”  
Caleb runs his hands through his hair, letting out a troubled sigh. A knock comes from the door, followed by Veth’s voice.  
“You almost done Phillip?”  
“Ja, just finishing up.”  
“Well I got a change of clothes out here. I had to guess at your size, so they might be a bit small, I hope that's okay?”   
“Ja that's fine, but uh, what about my clothes?”  
“Oh those rags? They're fucking filthy so I'm washing them.”  
“Oh. That's...what did you do with my books and my..materials.”  
“I set them on the table in the kitchen, don't worry. There's a towel hanging on the door for you to dry yourself off.”  
“Danke Veth.”

Caleb quickly finishes his bath, before the water fully cools down, because he doesn't want a snoopy Veth to see his notes and put herself in further danger. He finds the simple linens that Veth told him about just outside the door and he yanks them on to find they're just about the perfect size, perhaps just a touch too big. He ties up his hair and steps out of the wash room, and starts to turn to go down the stairs when he notices that there are three other doors in this hall. One he figures is for Veth and Yeza, another is the guest room, but the third door stumps him.  
He wants to look into it, and he finds his paranoia is compelling his footsteps and before he knows it he is twisting the door knob. It's not what he was expecting, and he doesn't even know what he was expecting. What he does see however is a room with a small bed, a rocking horse, and a simple dresser. A child's room.   
“Oh..that..okay,” he whispers to himself as he slowly closes the door so as not to alert Veth. He turns around and heads downstairs, trying not to betray the fact he's seen something he probably shouldn't have.  
“There you are! You look much better now. Still pretty thin though...what do you want for supper Phillip?”  
“Oh uhh..Rindsrouladen is a pretty tasty dish but I don't think-”  
“What's it need?”  
“Veth you don't have to-” He's cut off again as Veth levels a mighty weapon at him. The sternest look he has ever seen.   
“What does it need Phillip?”

And just like that the smell of braised beef and the sweet sauce is permeating the Brenatto household. Caleb feels his stomach rumble as his mind drifts back in time, only being snapped back when Yeza’s voice calls out.   
“I'm hooOhhh my god that smells amazing! What are you making?”  
“Hey honey! It’s Rind..rind something. Phillip how do you say that word?”  
Caleb scratches his chin and refocuses, “Rin-sue-lah-den.”  
“Yeah that! I think..,” Veth grabs a knife to cut into one of the beef rolls and stares intently at the half she holds up, “Okay yeah that's done! Line up gentlemen!”  
Veth tosses a small plate to Yeza and Caleb, which he barely catches before it hits him in the head. Veth doles out a healthy portion of the meal to Yeza and Caleb before filling her plate and sitting at the table. Caleb’s mouth is watering, and he digs in and absolutely devours most of the Rindsrouladen before noticing the Brenattos staring at him.  
“Ja?”  
“Phillip you don't have to eat so quickly.”  
“Oh right. I'm sorry,” he sits up and wipes his mouth, “I just got used to...making my meals quick.”  
Veth and Yeza exchange a worried glance before Yeza speaks, “Why's that?”  
“I...would rather not...talk about it.”  
“You're not a criminal are you?”  
Veth smacks Yeza’s arm, “Yeza Franklin Brenatto!”  
He rubs his arm, “What? It was just a question!”  
Caleb finds himself laughing at the halfling couple. “No I'm not a criminal.”  
“Okay good.”  
“Danke for asking and not just assuming though.”  
Yeza lets out a wheezy laugh, “No problem Phillip.”

The three eat the meal in silence for a few minutes. Caleb then decides to just ask. What's the worst that could happen?  
“What is the fourth room upstairs for?”  
Veth’s fork stops halfway up to her mouth, and Yeza’s face drops. This was not a good idea.  
“It…” Veth’s breath hitches, “It’s for our child. Or it would be.”  
“I'm so sorry Veth I-”  
“It's okay Phillip, you couldn't have known. I,” she stands up and wipes her eyes, “I need some air real quick.”  
She quickly steps outside and closes the door a little hard.  
“Mr. Brenatto I'm sorry I didn't know that…”  
“It's alright Phillip, like Veth said you couldn't have known. We don't like to talk about it…”  
“I'm...should you go comfort her?”  
“Yeah probably…” he stands up and heads outside, “Veth? Hey babe-” his voice gets muffled as the door closes but not before Caleb hears a sob coming from Veth.  
Caleb puts his head into his hands, shaking it back and forth. He knows they're right he couldn't have known, but he should have pieced it together. By the time Veth and Yeza come back inside, the meal has gotten ice cold, and Caleb looks up at them and stands up.  
“I apologize for bringing up such a..sensitive subject. I didn't mean to upset you two, you've been..wonderful.”  
Veth looks up at Caleb with puffy eyes and smiles weakly, “I accept your apology Phillip, but it's really okay you couldn't have known.”  
“I understand if you want me to go-”  
“Hush up Phillip, you're staying.”  
“Danke...Here let me help with the dishes.”  
Veth shakes her head, “Oh no don't worry about that, it's Yeza’s night.”  
Caleb holds up a hand, “No it's my night now. It's the least I can do for your kindness.”  
Caleb touches the table and tugs on a loose thread on his trousers, conjuring an Unseen Servant that immediately begins picking up the dishes and stacking them next to the sink as Caleb grabs the brass pot to fill up with the needed water. 

Caleb somehow ends up living with the Brenattos for a couple of months, and for once in a long time he feels safe. During this time him and the Brenatto family become closer, and he comes clean to them about his real name. They handled it surprisingly well, and didn't really question it.   
He's out getting more ingredients for Yeza when he sees the woman. The woman with the Academy colors. He feels himself go sheet white as he hides behind a building and reflexively throws up a Disguise Self to turn himself into a female half-elf.  
“Nicht gut, nicht gut.”  
He tries to calm himself down and peeks out, trying to watch the woman without arousing attention. The woman is looking around, but doesn't talk to anyone. She turns down a road and is out of his sight, so he quickly darts down the road to his friends shop. Yeza is startled when Caleb slams the door to his shop open and then instantly slams it shut.  
“Oh! Hello miss! What can I help you-”  
Caleb forgot about the Disguise Self spell, “Yeza it's me.”   
“Oh Caleb! What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost.”  
“I can handle a ghost,” Caleb sets the basket of ingredients down, “But I...I think…Yeza go get Veth please.”   
Yeza’s face turns into one of concern, “Caleb you're scaring me what's wrong?”  
“Please go get Veth.”  
Yeza’s concern doesn't disappear but he nods. “Okay Caleb, give me a minute.”  
He grabs a sign that says ‘Closed for Lunch’, and sets it up in the window before heading out to his home for Veth.

It takes about five minutes before Veth and Yeza enter the shop, which is the most paranoid Caleb has been in a long time. Veth comes up to Caleb and hugs him a look of worry on her face too.  
“What's wrong Caleb?”  
“I think I’ve been found. It..it isn't safe for me to be here anymore.”  
“We'll protect you Caleb, you know-”  
“No!” Veth jumps and Caleb feels sadness hit him immediately, “I'm sorry Veth I didn't mean to...It won't be safe for you to help me now. Not if they suspect I'm staying in this town.”  
“Caleb what does that mean?”  
Caleb kneels down and hugs Veth and he feels himself choke up, “I- I have to go. To keep you and Yeza safe. I can't risk the Academy learning that I care for you or…”  
Veth squeezes him back and so does Yeza, and the three stay that way for many minutes.

“I'm going to miss the two-” his sentence is cut off by a knock at the door. Caleb grabs the encased eyebrow, and he blinks out of sight.   
Yeza clears his throat, “One moment please!” He then moves up to the door and unlocks it.  
Standing in the door is the woman in the Academy robes. She has a little devious grin on her face.   
“Hullo. Are you Yeza Brenatto?”  
“Yeah that's me, who's asking?”  
She steps inside and lets the door close behind her, “That does not matter. What does matter however is,” she turns around and locks the door, “you have been ousted.”  
‘Scheisse.’  
“Ousted? What in the heavens are you talking about?”  
“Don't play dumb Halfling. You've been seen harboring a...runaway. I'm here to retrieve him.”  
Veth steps up this time, “Don't be ridiculous we don't just let any stranger into our home.” Caleb sees her wrap her hand around a vial of acid.  
The woman sneers and pulls out a nasty looking wand, and it glows, “I'm going to give you one more chance. Where is he?”   
Caleb steps to the side and slowly reaches into his pockets as Veth takes the vial and hurls it at the woman. She flicks her wrist and the vial smashes against an invisible Shield causing the acid inside of it to drop and sizzle harmlessly on the floor. She lets out a gleeful laugh and a wolfish smile plasters itself on her face.  
“Oh I was hoping you would give me some reason to justify this!” Her wand starts building up a charge as she starts to cast Lightning Bolt. Yeza stands in front of Veth, his eyes closed, and the blue energy starts to arc towards them. It sputters out instantly as Caleb appears in front of them, arm outstretched as his Counterspell is cast out to rid the spell from killing his friends. His family.  
“There you are you miserable-”  
“Shut it.”  
His other arm extends to reveal a lodestone cupped in his ash covered palm, and the woman’s face turns to one of horror as the thin green ray hits her in the chest and slowly starts turning her into ash from the inside out. She sinks to the ground slowly falling apart as she tries to lift the wand again only to have it clatter to the ground.  
“Th-they’ll come..come for you..”  
“Ja but not because of you.”  
The Disintegration finishes as she collapses, and poofs into dust as her body hits the floor. Caleb turns to Yeza and Veth to see them holding more bottles and have a surprised expression on their faces.  
“Is she..dead?”  
“Extremely. But that doesn't matter, what does matter is that it means I've been found.”  
“So you have to leave for sure now?”  
“Ja..I..You two are already some of the most important people in my life and I want you to be safe.”  
“We love you too Caleb.”  
Caleb feels his heart break as he realizes he loves them too, but that he has to leave them. He kneels down and hugs them again, and this time it is uninterrupted.   
“I'll try to visit again soon. Just..it may take a long time for me to do so.”  
Yeza sniffles and straightens his glasses, “We understand Caleb. Be careful out there okay?”  
“Ja of course Yeza,” Caleb stands up and wipes his eyes, “I..I have a question and it's going to sound strange.”  
“Well we just saw you disappear and then turn a woman into ash, so I think you can't really ask us anything too weird.”  
“Would you want a daughter or a son?”  
“I..well that..Okay that was a weird one. Uhm..Yeza?”  
“I...I always liked the idea of a son. Don't get me wrong though, I would absolutely cherish a daughter!”  
“It's okay Yeza, I...I'd like a son too. Why do you ask Caleb?”  
“Well..I want to give you a gift before I leave,” he grabs one of Yeza’s planted ingredients, “and I think a child is the best gift I can think of. And I think that you two are the most deserving to be parents.”   
Veth and Yeza look at each other and then at Caleb.  
“How..how are you going to do that?”   
“A very powerful spell. I need some mercury, which is the hardest thing to get but I have everything else.”  
“I might have some, a few of the rarer potions need it. How much do you need?”  
“Just a drop will work.”  
Yeza runs to his storage room and is back in a moment with a bottle filled up halfway with the metal and offers it to Caleb.   
Caleb takes the mercury and splashes a drop on the plant he was holding, and smears the gum arabic along the petals. He takes a piece of cloth from his coat and ignites it, causing smoke to rise, which he shapes while muttering the needed arcane words and he sees the spell take effect as the plant gently glows then slowly morphs. He passes it over to Veth, who watches it intently alongside Yeza, and then their jaws drop as suddenly she is holding a screaming baby.   
“Congratulations Veth and Yeza Brenatto, you are now the parents of a healthy baby boy.”  
They don't say a word and just start tearing up but they don't take their eyes off of this small child, their son.  
“Thank you for all that you've done for me you two. Raise him well.”

Then Caleb leaves. He changes his appearance to look like a tiefling man, and walks out of town, with Frumpkin leading the way. He promises to himself that he will do his best to make sure the Brenatto family remains safe, and he keeps that promise. Over the years he checks in, but never approaches them out of fear of them being hurt. He learns the name of their son, which is Luke, and learns that he has a knack for alchemy just like Yeza, but he has the attitude of his mother. He is glad to see his family has grown so healthily and happy. A most blessed gift for Caleb Widowgast.


End file.
